Why Does St. Albert Need Smart Growth?

Resident support for the principles of Smart Growth

• The Smart Growth Community Image Survey showed strong support for Smart Growth principles.

No Room to Grow

• St. Albert is constrained on most sides from growing outward any further.

Households and lifestyles are changing

• More than half of St. Albert residents are singles or couples looking for housing choices.

The costs of developing low-density residential is becoming cost prohibitive

• Infrastructure costs per single-family dwelling unit in St. Albert is $59,000 versus as low as $3,700 per multi-family dwelling unit in a high density setting.

Markets fluctuate and change and more flexibility is needed to quickly adapt 

• Developments close to amenities, such as transit, retail and culture, experience less of a decline in value with recessions.
• Developers want flexibility to meet market fluctuations.

Need a more sustainable way of developing and managing growth

• 30% more run-off and 83% more water consumption occur with low-density developments. (State of New Jersey study)
  
• 75% of St. Albert residents commute.

Investment in the public realm creates the places where people and businesses want to be

• Streets, buildings and public spaces work together to create vibrant, livable places.

Council Priority

• Policy 4.16 of the Municipal Development Plan directs the use of Smart Growth Guidelines to guide future development. 

Why Smart Growth? (PDF)